Cotubanamá National Park

Best of Cotubanamá National Park

Parque Nacional del Este's Absolute Essentials

This protected area in the southeastern Dominican Republic encompasses over 400 square kilometers of marine and terrestrial habitats. The park includes Saona Island, known for its extensive coral reefs and nesting turtles, and a network of limestone caves like Cueva del Puente and Cueva Berna, which house significant Taino petroglyphs and pictographs. Visitors can explore semi-humid forests, observe endemic bird species, and access natural freshwater springs within subterranean cave systems near Bayahibe and Boca de Yuma.

Parque Nacional del Este's Absolute Essentials — Map

Juergen Lehle / CC-BY-SA-3.0

A

Saona Island

Saona Island is a 110 square kilometer tropical island located off the south-east coast in Dominican Republic's La Altagracia province.

B

Del Este National Park

The Parque Nacional Del Este is located in eastern Dominican Republic.

C

Parque Nacional del Este

Protected area covering 400 square kilometers of subtropical forest and marine territory. It serves as a habitat for over 100 bird species and features numerous Taino archaeological sites.

D

Cueva del Puente

Limestone cave featuring massive stalactites, stalagmites, and ancient Taino rock art. It is accessible via a three-kilometer hike through the park's dry forest.

E

Cueva de Chico

Subterranean cave system containing a clear freshwater pool and Taino petroglyphs. It is a frequent site for technical cave diving.

F

Cueva Berna

Archaeological site containing over 300 Taino petroglyphs and pictographs. It is one of the most significant indigenous art locations in the Caribbean.

G

Cueva de Piratas

Coastal cave located near Boca de Yuma, historically used as a shelter and linked to local legends of Caribbean piracy.

H

Cueva Padre Nuestro

Cave located along the Padre Nuestro ecological trail, featuring an underground freshwater spring and Taino artifacts.

I

Playa Mariposa

Take a walk from Canto de la Playa, because maneuvring the boat through the reef might be dangerous.